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July Garden Calendar

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:10:14 -0500

Vegetables and Fruits
a Harvest fruits of your labor and enjoy
b Control weed growth to preserve water and nutrients
c Fertilize vegetables to encourage plant development
d Watch for foliar disease development on lower tomato leaves and treat with a fungicide
e Prepare for fall gardening. Plant potatoes, broccoli, and other fall crops
f Spray sweet corn to control corn earworms as silks emerge
g Be on the lookout for pests of the garden and control
h Remove old raspberry canes after harvest
Flowers
a Remove faded flowers from annuals to stimulate more flowers for late summer color, and from perennials to prevent reseeding
b Keep gardens well mulched
c Cut fresh bouquets for enjoyment on hot summer days
d Lightly fertilize annuals to promote growth
e Dig, divide, and replant crowded irises
f Fertilize roses for fall blossoms
g Fertilize and water container gardens
h Complete the final pinching of chrysanthemum tips for bushier plants
  Lawns
a Mow bluegrass and tall fescue around 3 to 3 1/2 inches
b Mow zoysia at 1 1/2 inches
c Fertilize zoysia to encourage summer growth with a high nitrogen fertilizer. Let grass clippings fall to return nutrients to soil and grass
d Be on the lookout for summer diseases such as brown patch
e Watch for grubs. If they begin to hatch, an insecticide may be required. Apply in late July or early August.
f Keep mower blades sharpened
g Replace lawn mower air filter and change lawn mower oil per owner's manual
h Prepare to control perennial grassy weeds such as zoysia, fescue, and nimblewill
i Take a soil test to prepare for fall lawn renovation
j Water deeply and less often for deep roots and a healthy lawn
 Trees and Shrubs
a Water newly planted shrubs and young trees (planted within the last three to five years) during dry weather
b Keep plants mulched to conserve moisture and cool roots
c Remove sucker growth from the base of trees and along branches
d Prune diseased, dead, or hazardous limbs
  Miscellaneous
a Water weekly by deeply soaking the soil. Use surface irrigation and avoid watering late at night to help reduce disease development.
b Take photos of gardens

Source: Johnson County K-State Extension Service (www.johnson.ksu.edu)

June’s Garden Calendar

Sat, 5 Jun 2010 22:26:55 -0500

Vegetables and Fruits
a Renovate June bearing strawberry beds
b Fertilize strawberries and water regularly to promote new growth
c Plant another crop of sweet corn and green beans
d Watch tomatoes for foliar leaf disease development and treat
e Mulch crops for moisture conservation and weed control
f Continue a regular fruit disease and insect control program
g Treat peach trees for trunk borers
h Remove sucker growth from base of trees and along branches
i Pinch herbs to keep bushy and fresh with new growth
j Turn compost pile and keep moist for a quicker breakdown
  Flowers
a Pinch chrysanthemums for development of a bushy plant
b Deadhead spent flower blossoms to keep plant flowering
c Remove flower stalks from peonies and iris
d Mulch flower gardens for the summer to conserve moisture, control weeds and cool the soil
e Water plants as needed
f Fertilize roses with about 1 cup of low analysis fertilizer per plant
g Trim spent rose blossoms
h Check plants for insects
i Remove dead foliage from spring bulbs
j Water and fertilize container plantings regularly to encourage growth and flowering
  Lawns
a Raise mowing height on bluegrass and tall fescue to 3" or 3 ½" for summer heat resistance
b Fertilize zoysia lawns with high nitrogen fertilizer such as 27-3-3
c Sod or plug bare areas in zoysia lawns
d Spot treat for broadleaf weeds  Core aerate zoysia lawns for removal of thatch and overall vigor
e Let grass clippings fall for nutrient recycling
f Water the turf sparingly to increase drought tolerance during heat of summer. Let turf wilt between watering for best results
g Check mower blade for sharpness and sharpen as needed
h Check lawn mower engine oil and add or change according to owners' manual
 
Trees and Shrubs

a Check for bagworms and control as needed
b Mulch around the bases of trees and shrubs to conserve moisture
c Prune pines and spruces to shape and control size
d Water newly planted trees and shrubs as needed
e Prune spring flowering shrubs
f Do not damage tree trunks with mowers and weed whips
g Check for spider mite damage on various shrubs
h Clip hedges as needed to maintain shape

  Houseplants

a Fertilizer throughout the summer months to encourage growth
b Wash leaves to remove dust
c Take cuttings to start new plants
d Prune and shape plants for added beauty
e Repot plants as needed in 1" larger containers
f Check for insect problems

Source: Johnson County, K-State Extension Service (www.johnson.ksu.edu)

May’s Garden Calendar

Mon, 3 May 2010 16:33:44 -0500

Vegetables and Fruits
• Plant tomato, pepper, and eggplant transplants in early May
• Seed sweet corn, cucumbers, squash, beans, and other warm season vegetables
• Lightly cultivate soil with a hoe to control weed growth
• Mound soil around potato plants to encourage tuber formation
• Harvest fresh asparagus until the spear size decreases
• Remove rhubarb seed stalks to encourage leaf growth
• Plant kitchen herbs for summer use in dishes or food preservation
• Treat fruit trees with needed pesticides to control insects and disease
• Thin heavy fruit set on apples to increase fruit size and next year's crop

  Flowers
• Plant annual flowers for summer color
• Continue to plant and divide perennials
• Mulch perennial and annual gardens for weed control and moisture retention
• Begin pinching chrysanthemums for bushier plants
• Do not remove foliage from spring bulbs until it dies down naturally, this develops stronger blooms for next year
• Plant container gardens and hanging baskets using a good quality potting mix
• Keep a garden journal for permanent reference
  Lawns
• Reduce thatch layers from zoysia by verticutting or core aerating
• Sod or sprig zoysia lawns to fill in bare areas
• Fertilize zoysia lawns with high nitrogen to promote green up and summer growth
• Mow zoysia at 1 to 2 inches tall
• Apply slow release nitrogen fertilizer to bluegrass and tall fescue to promote summer growth if watering during the summer. Lower maintenance lawns skip this application
• Mow bluegrass and tall fescue at 3 inches
• Spot treat broadleaf weeds
• Withhold early summer watering until needed to promote more drought tolerant lawns
  Trees and Shrubs
• Plant new trees and shrubs
• Prune spring flowering shrubs after bloom to shape plant and encourage flowers next year
• Mulch around young trees and shrubs to conserve moisture and control weed growth
• Water young ornamentals as needed
• Remove tree wraps for summer growth
• Remove tree stakes that have been in place more than one growing season
• Fertilize trees to help increase growth rates
• Caution, use line trimmers around trees and shrubs so as not to damage tender bark
  Houseplants
• Move plants outdoors for summer by gradually increasing the exposure to sunlight
• Fertilize plants to promote summer development
• Rotate plants to develop a well-rounded plant
• Wash dusty leaves in the shower under room temperature water
• Four to six inch cuttings are a great way to start new plants, root in potting mix under low light
• Repot plants into a one inch larger pot
• Check for insects

April Garden Calendar

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:25:24 -0500

Vegetables and fruits:
• Fertilize vegetable garden before planting and incorporate
• Start fruit tree spray schedule when growth begins
• Plant carrots, onions, beets and other salad crops in early April
• Prune fruit trees if not already done
• Plant asparagus and rhubarb
• Plant beans, corn, vine crops in late April

Flowers:
• Remove winter mulch from perennial garden
• Cut back last year’s growth from perennials
• Add organic matter such as compost before planting new flowers
• Divide perennials
• Prune rose bushes and fertilize them for spring growth

Lawns:
• Apply crabgrass control by mid month
• Mow lawn as needed, bluegrass 2”, tall fescue 3”
• Sharpen mower blade
• Spot treat broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, henbit, and chickweed
• Do not water lawn unless extremely dry, early irrigation sets turf up as high water user in summer

Trees and Shrubs:
• Prune spring flowering shrubs such as forsythia and lilac after flowering
• Prune trees as needed
• Topping is not pruning, never top a tree
• Keep new trees and shrubs watered
• Fertilize young trees to promote growth

Source: Johnson County, K-State Extension Service (www.johnson.ksu.edu)

Pumpkins, Winter Squash and Ornamental Gourds

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:26:04 -0500

Cure Pumpkins, Winter Squash and Ornamental Gourds indoors in a well- ventilated and dry place. These cucurbits actually become sweeter after harvest, so allow at least a month before canning and processing. Seed viability increases too, so if you're interested in saving the seeds, wait a little while.
Treat pumpkins and squash to a sponge bath with a 10% bleach solution (90% water) to help prevent spoilage.
Handle them delicately, taking care not to damage stems or blossom ends (the "down side."). If properly matured on the vine and cured, many winter squash will last up to a year or more at room temperature..

Adding Lime to the Soil

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:23:29 -0500

Fall is a good time to add lime to your soil if it tends to be acidic. You can buy an inexpensive pH test kit from your local garden supply store.
Most plants prefer a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. If your soil is on the low end of this range, it is considered acidic. It takes 30 - 100 pounds of lime to raise the pH of a 1000 square foot area from 5.5 to 6.5.
Sandy soil will need the lesser amount, and heavy clay soil will need the greater amount.

Early to mid July

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:29:03 -0500

Do not bump lawn mower into tree trunk as this invites damage from insects and diseases. Make a mulch ring around the trees to protect them from mower damage. Keep the mulch away from the tree bark or it will promote rot and diseases.
Pinch back chrysanthemums to about 1' high. This will provide for additional blooms and they will be less likely to flop over in the fall.
Plant a new crop of carrots, cabbage, beans, broccoli, potatoes & beets for harvest in the fall
Spray roses with fungicide if necessary.
Keep annuals blooming by deadheading.
Fertilize plants in containers every 2 weeks with a weak solution.
Don't pinch mums after mid-July or flowering may be delayed too late..

Source: Missouri Environment and Garden, published by the Integrated Pest Management Program at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Coneflowers a Hit at Chicago Grows 2004

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:36:26 -0500

By Chuck Robinson
The powerhouses of Chicago’s horticultural scene Chicago Botanic Garden, Morton Arboretum and the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois promote plants through the Chicagoland Grows campaign.
Not too surprisingly, one of the Chicagoland Grows 2004 top plants was the Orange Meadowbrite hybrid coneflower. It is the first orange coneflower and was developed by Jim Ault at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
It is reported to be a vigorous plant with lance-shaped, semiglossy, deep green foliage. The plant grows to a height of 2-3 feet.
Prairie Flame shining sumac (Rhus copallina var.latifolia ‘Morton’) stands apart for its dwarf habit, conservative growth rate, dark green and glossy foliage, brilliant red fall color and excellent drought tolerance. A deciduous many-stemmed shrub growing 7 feet tall, it has creamy-white blooms in late July, grows in a wide variety of soils and landscape conditions and forms dense colonies. It grows best in full sun. It was grown from seed collected by the Morton Arboretum from the Iroquois County Conservation Area.
China Snow Peking lilac (Syringa pekinensis ‘Morton’) is a tree lilac selected for its amber-colored exfoliating bark, fragrant late-spring blooms and graceful rounded habit. The parent tree measures 45 feet tall with a 40-foot spread after 75 years of growth.
In recent years the Morton Arboretum has introduced elm cultivars recalling the favorite American tree wiped out by Dutch Elm Disease. In 2003 the arboretum introduced the Accolade elm, which has a vase-shaped habit, dark green glossy leaves, good drought tolerance, good yellow fall color and excellent disease and pest resistance. The Triumph elm was introduced in 2005. The Accolade was crossed with an earlier Morton introduction, the Vanguard, to create the Triumph. It has dark green lustrous leaves and a good upright form, the arboretum reports.

All About Bulbs: The Story of John Bryan

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:32:12 -0500

By Chuck Robinson
In the middle of winter, I think of myself as a bulb. I have stored up a lot of gardening ideas over the summer, but I am glad for a little resting period this winter while the ideas take root and become ready to burst forth next spring.
If only all my ideas would sprout with the glory of a bed of snowdrops, crocus, winter aconite and daffodils next spring.
A new resource that has helped me dream and scheme for next spring is the 2002 edition of John Bryan’s Bulbs. It is a weighty opus listing 230 genera and offering 1,100 color photos. Bryan also has published the Timber Press Pocket Guide to Bulbs, which came out in 2005 and draws on the larger volume’s information. Timber Press is a wellspring of interesting and award-winning books on gardening. Just reading the catalog is an enjoyable way to while away an evening.
His earlier publishing accomplishments include the Manual of Bulbs, which extracts the entries on bulbs from the four-volume New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. He also has authored Bryan on Bulbs, published in 1994 as part of the Burpee Expert Gardener series.
This is a shorter, more personal account of bulbs.
Now in his 70s, Bryan began his career in horticulture as a student at the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh, Scotland, and did his postgraduate work at the Royal Horticulture Society Garden in Surrey, England.
He came stateside to help raise hybrid lilies at Jan de Graaff’s Oregon Bulb Farm, Portland. Bryan in his books calls deGraaff the father of the hybrid lily.
Living in the Bay area of California, Bryan is the former director of the Strybing Arboretum and Botanic Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate ParkWhile Bryan assures us that with his list of genera in Bulbs he has not exhausted the number of plants growing from bulbs or bulb-like roots, the list is broad enough to include quite a few surprises.
I would not have thought to include liriope, but depending on the species it springs from rhizomes, tubers or fibrous roots. Likewise, Asclepias tuberosa, the gorgeous butterfly weed, rises from a tuber, which Bryan tells us becomes woody with age.
While most pelargoniums including the common bedding plants known as geraniums are not tuberous, a few species grow in hot dry South African summers and have developed storage roots that allow them to go dormant.
"Tuberous pelargoniums are only for the collector. … Though not easy to grow, these plants are worth the great care they need," Bryan tells us. Wild gingers (Asarum) and hepaticas were two more surprises for me. My horizons have been broadened.
In buying bulbs for my fall planting, Bryan guided me away from winter aconite, Eranthis, not because it tends to take over I kind of like the idea of a strong spring force taking over next March and lavishing me with yellow flowers undaunted by the cold.
"The lovely, carpeting winter aconite is often in flower even before the snowdrops and adds color to the garden early in the year," Bryan teases me.
However, he warns the plant is hard to establish from corms sold in the fall at bulb displays that have been stored too long. I had already circled the corms I found in the area for like a gardener vulture, trying to decide whether to buy or not. I decided they were too long on the shelf. I hope to find plants next spring.
When planted, Bryan tells me, eranthis corms need to be soaked overnight, should be planted three inches apart and watered well in the fall and early spring.
Bulbs, of course, includes the plants you would expect to find: daffodils, crocus, ahlias and iris. For iris, Bryan devotes more than 18 pages listing species of sword lily. There are 10 pages devoted to narcissus, not including pictures.
I have succumbed to Bryan’s enthusiasm for lilies, however. Lilies, he writes, are hardy anywhere in the U.S. They like their feet in the shade and heads in the sun and want their feet to never be wet, he says.
He suggests tall-growing bulbs, like lilies, are best planted with a background behind them, so they will be noticed better than if the flowers seemed to be just floating in air.
In some quarters, Bryan’s Bulbs, both the 1989 edition and the new one, has been referred to the Dirr for bulbs, referring to Michael Dirr’s magnus opus, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. This elicits a groan from horticulture students, as least because of the weight of the Dirr book when you have to carry it to class. On that level, the nearly 900-page Bulbs is comparable.
However, Dirr delivers a cold taxonomic listing for each entry followed by brief additional comments in which he pans or exalts the plants. Bryan seems less likely to do as Dirr has done with hydrangeas, for instance, when in his 1983 edition Dirr said hydrangeas had little value for the landscape and by 2005 he admits some can be beautiful and has put his name on a hydrangea cultivar as a marketing ploy.
Bryan seems more evenhanded in his report. While he includes subheads under each genera to list culture, pests and diseases, propagation and specific species information, he delivers the information in a more essay-like style. Under Dicentra, he starts off telling us about the Greek root of the taxonomic name and offers us a five-paragraph discussion.
Bryan also warns the reader about difficulties but does not tell the home gardener to not try something. For instance, in comments in the early part of Bulbs before the great listing of plants Bryan writes about propagation. Tissue culture, a means by which many plants are now being cloned in laboratory conditions, is becoming very important to the industry, he says. However, he says, "It can be undertaken by amateurs in the kitchen if the gardener is prepared to observe strict demands for sterility and precise nutrient formula preparation."
I am clearing the counter.
Chuck Robinson is a member of the Garden Center Association and gardens just north of Parkville.
Bulbs, revised edition, by John E. Bryan. Published by Timber Creek Press, the book or a catalog can be ordered at their web site. Seven copies of Timber Press Pocket Guide to Bulbs are available at the Kansas City Public Library. Bryan on Bulbs and Manual of Bulbs is available at the Johnson County Library.

Gardening Vendors and Their Catalogs

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:51:29 -0500

Compiled by Gari Rickert
• A. M. Leonard Extensive selection of gardening tools  1-800-543-8955 241 Fox Drive Piqua, OH 45356
• Bluestone Perennials Perennials, herbs, ornamental shrubs 1-800-852-5243 7211 Middle Ridge Rd Madison, OH 44057
• Brookbend Outdoor Furniture Outdoor furniture 1-877-204-6986 Box 352 Hopkinton, MA 01748
• Charley’s Greenhouse Supply Greenhouses, potting equipment, cold frames 1-800-322-4707 17979 State Route 536 Mt Vernon, WA 98273
• Comanche Acres Irises, water gardens 1-800-382-4747 12421 SE St Hwy 116 Gower, MO 64454
• Country Casual Teak garden furniture, outdoor accessories 1-800-289-8325 7601 Rickenbacker Dr Gaithersburg, MD 20879
• Cricket Hill Garden Peonies, Chinese tree peonies 1-877-723-6642 670 Walnut Hill Rd Thomaston, CT 06787
• DripWorks Irrigation drip supplies, timers, sprayers 1-800-522-3747 190 Sanhedrin Circle Willits, CA 95490-8753
• Dutch Gardens Perennials, peonies, lilies, roses, shrubs 1-800-944-2250 144 Intervale Rd Burlington, VT 05401
• Forestfarm Plants, trees, herbs, large catalog 1-541-846-7269 990 Tetherow Rd Williams, OR 97544-9599
• Gardener’s Supply Company Indoor & outdoor planting supplies, gifts 1-800-863-1700 128 Intervale Rd Burlington, VT 05401
• Gardens Alive! Environmentally safe fertilizer & pest controls 1-513-354-1483 5100 Schenley Place Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
• Gempler’s  Protective equipment, pest management 800-382-8473 PO Box 270 Belleville, WI 53508
• Gilbert H. Wild & Sons All types of lilies, irises, also hostas & peonies 1-888-449-4537 3044 State Hwy 37 Sarcoxie, MO 64862
• Jackson & Perkins Roses and perennials 1-800-292-4769 PO Box 1028 Medford, OR 97501
• Jung Quality Seeds Flowers and vegetables 1-800-247-5864 335 S High St Randolph, WI 53956
• Kelly Nurseries Perennials, ornamental and fruiting trees 1-507-334-1623 410 8th Ave NW Faribault, MN 55021
• Lilypons Water Gardens Pond plants and products 1-800-999-5459 PO Box 10 Adamstown, MD 21710
• One Green World Unique ornamentals, trees, vines, berries 1-877-353-4028 28696 S. Cramer Rd Molalla, OR 97038-8576
• Seeds of Change Organic vegetable & flower seeds, equipment  1-888-792-7333 PO Box 15700 Santa Fe, NM 87592-1500
• Stark Bro’s Fruit trees, ornamentals 1-800-325-4180 PO Box 1800 Louisiana, MO 63353
• Wayside Gardens Perennials, shrubs, herbs 1-800-845-1124 1 Garden Lane Hodges, SC 29695-0001
• Wildseed Seeds-wild flower, native grasses, regional mixes 800-848-0078 PO Box 3000 Fredericksburg, TX 78624
• White Flower Farm Perennials, ornamental plants, tools, supplies 1-800-503-9624 PO Box 50 Litchfield, CT 06759

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